


Tangentially

by Lempo Soi (Lemposoi)



Category: The Sandman
Genre: F/F, Fairies, Female Characters, Future Fic, POV Female Character, POV Third Person, Past Tense, Porn Battle, Rebirth, Trans Character, Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-20
Updated: 2010-07-20
Packaged: 2017-10-10 17:57:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/102501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemposoi/pseuds/Lempo%20Soi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nada enjoys slipping into different characters, which makeovers facilitate, but Nuala has issues about assigned roles and seemings versus reality, which intersect on the subject of Cosmopolitan Magazine and cause friction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tangentially

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt word was "wandering", prompt submitted by Curtana. This is set 20-some years after the end of the Sandman comics, so this is Nada in her reborn body. Nuala is the same as she ever was, just with more experience of the mortal world.

"You're glaring again," Nada said without looking up from the Cosmo, without even moving it so Nuala could see her face. She didn't have to. They'd had this conversation before.

"I just don't think you should read this shit." Nuala frowned at the model splashed over the glossy cover like so much fairy glamour, amid spells like '10 Booty Boosters' and 'How To Eat Your Man - And Keep Him Too!'.

"Some stance for a librarian. Shouldn't you be encouraging reading?"

"Sure," said Nuala. "I encourage you to read social history. I encourage you to read _The Whipping Girl_."

"But those aren't filled with cosmetics ads, and they completely fail to make me feel bad about myself," said Nada, dropping the magazine on the table to take another sip of her sweet Sunday morning tea. "Lighten up, honey. It's just entertainment."

Nuala pursed her lips and stood up, going out of the kitchen and to the balcony. Far below them, the city screeched, hard and dirty and real.

She stopped to water the fern.

She didn't turn when she heard the balcony door go, because she liked it when Nada wrapped her arms around her and set her chin on her shoulder, as she always did when making up, as she did now. Her cheek was warm against Nuala's.

"What is it really, sweetie?" Nada asked.

Nuala leaned back against her, and sighed. She couldn't tell Nada about Faerie, or Morpheus, or Hell. What good would it do her, to remember an aeon of misery beyond her current self?

So she said, "It's all make-believe, all those cosmetics and butt-boosters and dating methodology. It's a dream you shouldn't be having in the first place." She stroked Nada's hand, petting it in small circles. "I prefer reality."

What was reality? Her centuries in Faerie? The material realms?

Right now, it was Nada's warm body pressed against hers.

"Dr Walker says it's a good thing I'm paying attention to traditionally feminine things," Nada said. "He was worried by the fact that I'm in a relationship with another woman. I think my Cosmo kind of reassures him."

"Dr Walker is full of shit," Nuala said bitterly.

"You use that word a lot today."

"My bad. There's nothing really wrong with shit, after all. Dr Walker is full of devil-seed. He's full of evil ideas and he's trying to infect you with them."

"Oh, sweetie..."

"Dr Walker is trying to make you think you're not real a woman if you're not some kind of a fucking-doll, and Cosmo is trying to make you think you're a failure if you don't walk around photoshopped to perfection. I hate them. You're amazing, and they're trying to stop you seeing it."

Nada suddenly pulled Nuala close. Her mouth moved from Nuala's ear to her neck, and her hands sneaked under Nuala's top, to smooth over her soft belly, underneath the band of her pyjama bottoms.

"Come to bed." Nada's breath was hot against Nuala's cheek.

It was that low whisper that got to Nuala, and the scent of Nada's hair, its silky whisper touch as it coiled on her shoulder, the shivering of her body. Nada always turned emotion into action. This was no magic.

This was better than magic.

"You're changing the subject," Nuala breathed even as her cunny tightened and softened in anticipation of Nada's touch.

"No more Cosmo," Nada whispered against Nuala's skin. "I promise."

"Okay," said Nuala and turned.


End file.
